


The Light at the End of the Tunnel

by ImperfectOrphanage



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-27 13:43:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10023335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperfectOrphanage/pseuds/ImperfectOrphanage
Summary: Joshua had often thought back to being alive and being a parent.He was certain there would be no way to have a family once he had accepted the mantle of Composer.He never expected parenthood to be thrust upon him one sunny day by the actions of a careless individual.---(Post-Game Timeline wherein Neku is Joshua's Conductor.)





	1. Chapter 1

There was something annoying Joshua, and he hated to be annoyed.

As he sat on the sofa in the pad, he tried to wrap his mind around what was annoying him. Could it be the news he was reading on his tablet? Could it be the beeps and bloops of the arcade machine Neku had installed in the corner where the jukebox used to be? Could it be a fly, or another small insect annoying him?

Maybe he needed a drink. Liquor always calmed Joshua’s nerves.

“Do you hear that?” Neku said between mashing buttons and snapping the joystick to the side.

Joshua tilted his head. “What?”

“It sounds like,” Neku grunted, “crying or something.”

“Crying…” Joshua closed his eyes and focused his ears on the noise Neku spoke of. It was echoing in the distance, and it was just this way of irritating. “Ah. That’s what it is.”

Neku slammed his fist on the cabinet. “Fuck. I lost. Do you want me to go see what it is?”

“If you wouldn’t mind, dear.” Joshua continued to read the news. He slid further down on the couch and rested his head on the arm. “I’ll be here.”

“Yeah,” Neku laughed. “Don’t get up or anything.”

“I don’t intend to,” he said.

Neku disappeared through the door and the sound continued for several minutes more. It was grating on Joshua’s nerves and he was just about to sit up when the sound stopped. He could hear Neku’s voice coming closer and the tapping of his footsteps. The door opened and Neku entered with a bundle of rags in his arms.

“We have a problem,” he said.

“No,” Joshua clicked his tablet off and set it on the coffee table, “you have a problem. Why are you carrying around a bunch of dirty rags?”

“It’s not,” Neku paused to exhale, “it’s not rags.”

Joshua stood up and came to stand in front of Neku. “What is it?”

The rags shifted and Neku held the armload out toward Joshua.

No. Impossible.

“It’s a boy,” Neku said.

Joshua winced. “An infant in the UG? Here. Let me hold him.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course,” Joshua said. He took the dirty bundle of squirming baby and soiled cloth into his arms. The baby was covered in dirt and traces of afterbirth. Sitting on the couch, Joshua unwrapped the bundle in his lap and found the umbilical cord was still attached. The end was torn and bleeding, and the baby squealed at the cold against his skin. He shivered and mewled, and Joshua smiled down at him. “Shh, shh. Neku, be a dear and fetch me some hot water from the dispenser.”

Neku hesitated for a bit. “Is he gonna be okay?”

“If you get me some water, yes.”

The baby continued to make weak noises and Joshua frowned as it wiggled and kicked. It had beautiful grey eyes and a sprinkling of dark hair. There was a birthmark directly under the left eye in a few splotches of light brown. The baby sucked in a breath and whined.

Neku returned with a clean towel and a large bowl of warm water. He sat on the table while Joshua cleaned the blood and filth from the baby.

The cord was easily removed with a little Composer magic, and he smoothed the cloth over the swollen belly button before sealing it with his power. With a cooing cry, the baby seemed to enjoy the attention Joshua was giving him. Joshua continued to wipe the baby clean until every trace of dirt was gone from it’s soft, pink skin.

“Was he at the entrance?” Joshua asked. He tossed the rags to the side and held the baby naked in his arms, bouncing it gently. “I fear he’s been abandoned by a careless parent.”

“Yeah,” Neku said. He touched the baby’s face and smiled. “He’s cute. We should probably take him to the hospital.”

“Perhaps,” he replied, keeping his gaze on the infant. “Or we could care for him a bit. Sanae would know a better place to take him. I would hate for him to end up an orphan. You aren’t an unwanted creature, are you, little one?”

“You’re…good at this.”

Joshua looked up at Neku. “Babies are not hard to take care of, Neku. Would you like to hold him while I procure some supplies? We will need diapers, formula, and some clothes…I could make them but as I haven’t much experience, I wouldn’t know how to start.”

“Uh,” Neku took the baby and held him close, “we should probably go together.”

“Are you afraid of being alone with him?” Joshua laughed. “Oh, we should name him.”

“You’ll get attached.”

“I name the Noise, dear,” Joshua said. He flicked Neku between the eyes. “Don’t be difficult.”

Neku frowned. “Don’t do that.”

“But I like doing it.”

The baby squealed. He wiggled in Neku’s arms.

“We’ll have to think about it,” Joshua said. “I don’t want to give him a name he won’t live up to. Now, go get a blanket to wrap him in and I’ll call Sanae to see if he can baby-sit while we go shopping.”

“Are you sure he’ll be okay with it?” Neku cradled the baby with a nervous twitch. “He’s gonna be pissed at you for wanting to keep it.”

“I’m not keeping it,” Joshua explained. He tapped the numbers on his phone. “I’m holding onto him until he has a fighting chance. I have seen far too many children remain in the system until they age out, and they become terrible citizens of Shibuya.”

Neku shrugged. He disappeared into the attached bedroom they often stayed in when Joshua didn’t feel like being in the apartment. There was a bathroom with a spa tub and Joshua found it quite comfortable after the seventh day of a Game. He smiled at Neku’s muffled voice, knowing he was speaking to the baby.

He had it. He knew what to name the baby.

Dialing the phone he waited for Sanae to pick up.

“Yeah?”

“Hello, Sanae. I need your assistance on a delicate matter.” Joshua curled his hair around his finger. “Neku and I have a bit of a problem. We found a baby in the tunnel. Well, Neku found the baby.”

A pause. “Josh, take it to the hospital.”

“I don’t want to. I want you to use your RG connections to find him a good home. In the meantime, I need you to baby-sit for us. He needs accessories and clothes.”

“Josh,” Sanae sounded as if he were smoking, “it ain’t a doll. It doesn’t have accessories. It’s called necessities, and you can’t take care of it.”

“Sure I can,” Joshua said. “I’m quite able to handle a baby.”

“I don’t…”

Neku shrieked from the bedroom. He came running out with the baby held in front of him. “It peed on me. It peed on me!”

“Boss?”

“Hold on a moment, Sanae.” Joshua shouldered the phone and took the baby from Neku with an admonishing expression. “Honestly, Neku.”

“Ew, ew…”

“Boss?”

Joshua sighed. He dried the baby off with the towel from earlier and sat him on the couch. “Neku, give me your shirt.”

“No,” he argued, yanking it off regardless. “It’s covered in pee.”

“Hand it over,” Joshua said. He yanked it away when Neku refused to do so. Snapping it in the air, he instantly cleaned the stain and he used it to wrap the baby’s bottom. “There.”

“Hell, no. He’s not wearing my shirt as a diaper!”

“Boss?”

Joshua grumbled. He picked the baby up and shoved Neku toward the bedroom with his foot. “Neku, you need to change clothes and we need to go shopping. Stop being difficult.”

“Boss?”

“What, Sanae?”

“Whenever yer ready, bring tha kid over.”

“Thank you, Sanae.” Joshua ended the call and tucked the phone in his pocket. He smiled at the baby and nuzzled against it’s soft skin. It had fallen asleep after pissing on Neku, and the baby’s face was honestly the most adorable thing Joshua had ever seen. “Come on, Neku.”

Neku finally appeared in a sweater and shorts. He grumbled the entire way to Joshua’s side and even continued grumbling after they whisked through the music of Shibuya.

The WildKat was, of course, empty. Joshua held the baby close to his chest and waited for the artist slash barista to appear from the back. Once he did, Joshua handed the baby off to the old man.

Sanae seemed unphased. “Hey, there, kiddo.”

“Shh, he’s sleeping,” Joshua clicked his tongue.

“Aight, aight,” Sanae whispered. He tickled the baby under the chin and rocked him back and forth in his scruffy, paint dotted arms. “What’er we callin’ it?”

Neku shook his head and shrugged. “I’m voting for Teapot.”

“You can’t call him Teapot,” Joshua laughed. “Though it is fitting. No, I have a name in mind.”

The barista and Conductor stared at him.

“I’m calling him Proxy.”


	2. Chapter 2

Hanekoma had never really cared for children. He had Joshua as a surrogate son, but only from age eight and on. The baby was far simpler to deal with as it slept the entire time Joshua and Neku went to go shopping, and if it started to stir, Hanekoma would sing to him.

It was easy. Why would someone abandon such a beautiful creation? Hanekoma sighed as he watched the baby squirm a bit in his sleep. He placed a hand on the child’s chest and it stilled.

The painting Hanekoma had been working on kept him busy while he waited for the boys to return. Knowing Joshua, he was splurging on cute outfits for the child he couldn’t possibly keep. If it were any other circumstance, he might have been able to make it work. Hell, Hanekoma could probably adopt the baby, but it wouldn’t be right, thrusting a child into such a mess as the UG.

“Sorry, kiddo,” he said to the sleeping child, “I can’t do much for ya.”

In the front of the café the door chimed and the happy voices of Joshua and Neku followed. Joshua soon appeared in the back room with an armload of bags. Behind him, Neku had a box filled with random things like blankets and cans of formula. He set it down.

“How’s my little Proxy?” Joshua tickled the baby’s chin. “He’s so cute.”

“He’s gonna be hungry soon,” Hanekoma warned. “Poor thing probably ain’t had a good meal.”

“I bought the best infant formula I could find. It was a bit expensive, but he deserves it. Don’t you, my little Proxy?” Joshua shook the can and popped the top off. “It’s powdered, but it should be easy to mix. Neku, be a dear and make him a bottle? You’ll have to clean the bottles first.”

“Yeah, sure,” Neku said, oddly calm. He took the can of formula and a set of bottles into the front of the café, and the sound of water running filtered back to them.

“He’s…adjusted well.” Hanekoma quirked an eyebrow. “Why?”

Joshua frowned. “Are you implying I tweaked his music? No, he was subdued when I told him how important the future of Shibuya was. It also helped that he lost his mother at a young age.”

“Ah, right.” Hanekoma continued to paint. He watched Joshua from the corner of his eye as the boy pulled different items from the bags and box.

He’d bought a few outfits, a bunch of diapers, several cans of formula, a few toys, a mobile for the box he planned to keep the baby in temporarily, and three or four blankets.

“I think ya went overboard,” Hanekoma teased.

Joshua ignored him. He reached down to lift the baby from the cushion Hanekoma had him on. The baby whined a bit at being bothered, but Joshua shushed him with a few bounces. He sat down on the floor and spread a plastic blanket out to set the baby on it. “Time for a change.”

Pulling the shirt he’d used away from the baby, he tossed it aside and wiped at the baby’s bottom with a soft, wet wipe. Joshua appeared to be quite happy tending to a baby. He put the diaper on and tugged a onesie over the baby’s soft body. It was blue-green with little airplanes on it. Joshua smiled and lifted him up into his arms.

“Isn’t he cute?” Joshua giggled. “Neku, how’s it coming?”

“Almost ready!”

It was surreal to Hanekoma. Joshua, mighty Composer of Shibuya, was caring for an infant and Neku, the master of sass when it came to Joshua, was acting as if it were normal.

Neku came into the room with the bottle and tested it on his wrist as Joshua taught him how to. Handing the bottle to Joshua, the Composer explained to Neku how to hold the baby and feed him.

“You have to pull the bottle back so he can breathe.” Joshua let the baby suck for a bit before gently pulling it away. “If you don’t, he’ll get sick. Also, you have to burp him.”

“That’s what these are for?” Neku waved a pack of three burp cloths. “This is a lot of work.”

“Oh, hush,” Joshua said. He continued to feed the baby until it yawned. Setting the bottle down he took one of the cloths, held the baby up, and patted him on the back. “You have to be careful. They will spit up on you and in some instances, they might not like the formula.”

Neku smiled as he sat down, crossing his legs into a lap. “I guess it’s not that bad.”

The baby burped and the three of them laughed. It soon fell back to sleep and Joshua had Neku make the box up to be a makeshift bed.

Once settled into the box, Joshua sighed.

“Why tha box?” Hanekoma asked, brush still in hand.

“I read about how they use them for impoverished families. The hospitals give the box to new mothers with formula, necessities, and the box that can be used as a bed.”

Neku was staring into the box. “We can’t call him Proxy.”

“It’s not as if we are going to keep him,” Joshua said. “Do you know of anyone who could take him, Sanae? I don’t want him to be alone.”

“I’m lookin’ inta it. Fer tonight, you’d better take ‘im home.”

“Wait,” Neku sat back, “is it smart to put a baby in the UG? Isn’t that like…damaging him?”

Joshua shook his head. “I was quite healthy straddling the RG and UG as a child. I doubt it will do much to him except for raise his awareness of his surroundings. What do you think, Sanae?”

“Can’t hurt for a bit.”

The baby twitched in his sleep. Joshua caressed his cheek with a finger. “Next week we have a Game and I’ll have to stay on the down low until the seventh day. I’m sure Proxy will love being in the throne room, won’t you?”

“God, Josh,” Neku said, “you can’t be serious. It’s cold in there, and you have a tendency to shoot things for fun.”

“Oh, hush. I only shot you,” he replied. “I won’t let Proxy near a gun.”

Hanekoma grinned. At least the two of them were playing nice. In fact, they seemed to be getting along better with the baby between them. “I’ll watch ‘im t’night if ya wanna get the place ready.”

“That won’t be necessary, Sanae. I can flick my wrist and make the bedroom into the most delicate little nursery. What do you think, Neku? Pink, Blue, or Green?”

“I think Purple.”

“No, no,” Joshua clicked his tongue, “I like Pink.”

“I don’t want to make the baby gay, Josh.”

Hanekoma coughed.

Joshua narrowed his eyes.

Neku flinched. “Shit. I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. Sorry.”

“It’s alright. You are still learning how to be social. Besides,” Joshua continued to touch the baby, “Proxy might already be gay. We won’t know until he can form his own individuality and he understands where he is in the world.”

“True,” Hanekoma said, kneeling down. He smiled at the baby. “I kinda like tha idea of havin’ ‘im.”

“We’re falling in love with him,” Joshua sighed. “I can’t say I’m surprised. Perhaps we could keep him close by. We can put him with a family and I will personally attend to him every chance I get.”

Hanekoma shook his head. “It’s unprecedented.”

“Yeah,” Neku laughed, “Josh does the unprecedented from sundown to sunup. It’s his thing.”

“Indeed,” the Composer giggled, “you’re learning.”

Neku snorted. He reached down to pick the box up as gently as possible. “I’m going to take him home. Can you help Josh get the stuff?”

“Yeah, sure,” Hanekoma agreed. He watched Neku disappear with the baby and he looked down at Joshua’s soft features. “Yer gonna get attached.”

“Too late. I see a lot of us in him. He’s alone.”

“Josh,” Hanekoma put a hand on his head as he had so many times before, “yer not alone.”

“Neither will he be,” Joshua said, stern. “I’ll take care of this. It’s nothing a Composer can’t do.”

Hanekoma nodded. He waited for Joshua to disappear with the assortment of items.

It was going to hurt Joshua when he would finally be forced to give the baby up. He knew Joshua had wanted to be a dad when he was alive, mostly to show his father how to be one, and somewhat because he hadn’t had a caring father. Joshua had spoke about how he didn’t care for marriage but he would have loved having a collection of children around. In the past they had joked about Joshua being a kindergarten teacher or maybe a day care provider. His family wouldn’t want that. He would be forced to be something far more interesting.

Joshua had gotten it in his head that he could change the world with his children. It was before he had found being a Composer would have served Shibuya better.

“Sorry, kiddo,” Hanekoma said despite Joshua not being present.

He returned to his painting and tried to distract his mind from sad thoughts.

\---

The bedroom was large enough to put a small nursery into the corner. Joshua loved his large, tall bed he shared with Neku on nights they simply didn’t feel like being above the busy streets of Shibuya. Within the bedroom Joshua had moved the furniture to the side just a bit, and he decorated the corner with soft pinks with lavender touches. It was a compromise between Neku and him.

Being a Composer made it easy to design a perfect nursery. He had a crib in white with a crochet blanket in pink hanging over the side. The mattress was decorated with tiny trains and planes. On the side of the crib was a mirror toy, and above was a colorful mobile of airplanes. Joshua had thought the theme would be fitting for a boy.

Neku had taken to putting the many things they needed in order. Beneath the changing table, Neku put the diapers and wipes. Next to a water dispenser, he put the bottles and formula cans. In the pull out drawer beneath the crib he put the onesies in color combinations.

He seemed to be having just as much fun as Joshua was.

Proxy, on the other hand, slept through it all. He had a full belly and a happy expression on his sleeping face. Every now and again his mouth would twitch into a smile or he would make sucking motions. Joshua leaned on the crib to watch him sleep.

To think, years from now, he might be a Player in the Game. He could be anything. Perhaps he would be powerful enough to dethrone Neku and Joshua. The little baby was full of potential and Joshua sighed as he traced his finger over the baby’s face.

“You’re in love,” Neku teased. “Joshua’s in love with a baby~”

“I’m not in love with him. I do love him,” he said, “because someone needs to. Neku, don’t be rude.”

Neku shrugged. “Sorry. I can’t believe you’re taking this so seriously.”

“Why? I’m an adult. Babies are important to the future of Shibuya.” Joshua stroked Proxy’s arms and curled his finger in Proxy’s hand. “Do you think Sanae will find a good family?”

“Yeah. He’s a good guy,” Neku said. He put his hands on Joshua’s shoulders. “C’mon, Josh.”

Joshua exhaled. He backed into Neku and smiled as Neku’s arms fell to his waist. “It does make you feel soft on the edges, doesn’t it?”

“It does.” Neku put his chin on Joshua’s shoulder. “We’ve got a Game to prepare for.”

“Unfortunately. How many Players do we have?”

“Fourty-four. It’s a small Game, again.”

Joshua leaned into Neku as he put his hands on Neku’s. “I would bet money on it being over by Tuesday afternoon.”

“Bet taken,” Neku laughed. “I’m gonna vote for Monday-a one day Game.”

“Ooh. What are you going to bet, Neku?”

“Diaper duty.”

Joshua giggled. “Fine. If I win, you have diaper duty. If you win, I will brave the storm.”

“How about dinner?” Neku turned Joshua in his arms to face him. “We had ramen last night.”

“We could have it again,” Joshua replied, pecking a kiss to Neku’s forehead. “Be a dear and-“

“I know, be a dear and go pick it up. Yeah, yeah.” Neku pulled away and disappeared into the music of the beautiful city.

As if feeling the presence slip away, Proxy opened his grey eyes and wailed.

Joshua soothed him with a pat to his tummy. “It’s alright. Daddy Neku will be back soon.”

The grey eyes bore into Joshua’s soul. He was caught by the intelligence behind the bright eyes of the newborn infant. Proxy squealed and kicked as if he could see the light inside of Joshua.

An idea came to Joshua and he formed a tiny butterfly to flitter around the baby’s face. It landed on his face and the baby wiggled as it crawled along the bridge of his nose.

Proxy could see it. Though he hadn’t the presence of mind or the ability to move as he wished, Joshua could see the eyes following the butterfly.

It wouldn’t have been so surprising if it wasn’t for the fact that the butterfly only existed in the UG.

“Little one, are you wise?” Joshua tickled his chin. “You can see me, can’t you?”

Proxy could only wiggle. He smiled up at Joshua.

The Composer had read that babies didn’t understand how to smile or what it meant. Many parents had argued how their babies had smiled as young as a few days old. Joshua was certain Proxy knew exactly what he was doing.

“Sleep, Proxy. You need rest to grow.”

He burbled and kicked.

Joshua caressed his head before leaving the bedroom with the lights dimmed. He entered the Pad and poured himself a drink of sweetness and patience. It was delicious, and it calmed his worried soul. Neku wouldn’t take long to bring the food back, but Joshua was tired and he sat on the couch with his eyes shut as he listened to the UGNN on the television on the wall.

Proxy was one of the most interesting things to happen since Joshua took on Composerhood.


	3. Chapter 3

Proxy would sleep for several hours at a time.

He would wake up and Neku would watch as Joshua soothed him with his voice. Joshua would change him and feed him, and in some instances he would give Proxy a bath in a plastic bucket. The baby was so small he could be washed in a sink. Joshua seemed lighter and he teased Neku less and less each day he kept the baby. It was weird.

Neku had become accustomed to being flirted with, but Joshua hadn’t tried to get in Neku’s pants since they found Proxy. He kind of felt a bit jealous.

“Oh, Neku!” Joshua called to him from the bedroom. “I need your help. Proxy had a rough one.”

“Coming,” Neku replied. He knew what Joshua meant by a rough one. The baby sometimes had an extremely runny diaper and it was hard to keep him from making it worse from wiggling. Neku would often carry him to the bathroom to rinse him off while Joshua cleaned up the mess.

It was exactly what happened. Neku played with the baby in the spray of the shower and he bounced the tiny infant in his lap while waiting for Joshua to give the all clear.

Hanekoma had called earlier in the week to tell them he hadn’t found a family yet.

The High Council frowned on their interference in the life of a child, but they were also curious at how Joshua had changed from a callous, calculating person into a softer, more disciplined individual.

Proxy burbled in Neku’s lap and he watched the droplets of water spray into the air. He was exceptionally alert for such a young baby. Neku would wiggle his fingers and Proxy would slap at them with tiny fists. Once, he grabbed Neku’s index and refused to let it go.

“I think we’re good, Neku!”

He lifted Proxy into his arms and carried him back into the bedroom proper. Joshua had a towel, a diaper, and a new onesie all ready for him. They dried him off and dressed him up, and Neku held him again while Joshua readied a bottle.

It was Neku’s turn to feed the little shit. He put the bottle into Proxy’s mouth and the baby made cute sounds of drinking. His little hands beat on the bottle and he stared up into Neku’s eyes.

“Have you noticed,” Neku began, “how he seems to see us?”

“Yes, actually.” Joshua was folding laundry. “The other day he watched Sanae paint for three hours without falling asleep. He was exceptionally interested in the bright colors.”

Neku frowned. “You don’t think there’s something wrong with him, do you?”

“Wrong? No, no.” The Composer adjusted his pink shirt and smoothed it out over his black slacks. “Let me hold him.”

He handed him over. Proxy squealed. It made Neku laugh until he noticed a stain on his blue shirt. The baby had drooled on him. Not that it was something knew. Neku had been getting used to the burp, drool, vomit, and pee.

“I think he likes me,” Joshua said.

The baby continued to wiggle and punch at Joshua with his hand.

Neku smiled. “I can’t wait until he starts talking.”

“That is a long time off, Neku.”

Proxy burbled and gurgled as he sucked on his fist. He punched at Joshua once more, sliding his drooled hand down Joshua’s chin.

It didn’t bother Joshua. He simply chided Proxy and put him back in his crib to watch the mobile.

Neku didn’t want to say it out loud, but Joshua was more mature.

Oh. Oh, no.

He was more mature and holy shit, Neku found it attractive as fuck.

As if noticing the attention, Joshua blinked at Neku. “What?”

“N-nothing. You’re…you’re uh,” Neku attempted words, “you’re good at this.”

“It’s not rocket science. Neku, are you blushing?”

Neku shook his head. “It’s just…you…you look hot. I mean! Shit, no.”

“I look hot?” Joshua frowned. It dawned on him and he laughed. “Oh, Neku. I thought you didn’t like the idea of attraction? Is my being a parent such a pull? My, I should have had a baby before.”

“Shut up,” Neku shoved him away, “it’s not funny.”

“It’s cute,” Joshua replied, tugging him back. He pressed a kiss to Neku’s mouth and before long, they were kissing and touching each other by Joshua’s lead. The Composer purred into Neku’s mouth and he pressed his body to Neku’s. “Come on, Neku. You can’t deny me after all of this teasing.”

“I’m only now eighteen,” he warned. “And you’re old.”

“You’re rude,” Joshua sighed. He twirled a finger around his hair. “Neku, would you like to sleep with me tonight? As in, not actual sleep.”

Neku trembled. “I don’t think-“

“Come on, dear.” Joshua cupped Neku’s face in his hands before kissing him. “I will be gentle.”

“I don’t…” Neku swallowed. “The baby-“

“He won’t remember a thing. Now,” Joshua curled his arms around Neku’s waist, “I want to please you and thank you for your constant companionship.”

Neku dropped his gaze. “A-alright.”

“Really?” Joshua seemed surprised. “I’m glad.”

“Just don’t…don’t hurt me.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Joshua said. He began to strip.

The air tingled with electricity and Neku shrugged his shirt off.

He couldn’t believe what he was about to do.

\---

 The sound of crying woke Joshua from a rather pleasurable coma. He wasn’t sure how long he had been sleeping in Neku’s arms, but his head was still fuzzy and the tingles of passion tickled across his skin. Joshua was naked to the world and somewhat sticky, but the baby needed him.

He slid from the bed and Neku whined in protest. Joshua kissed him on the head and soothed him back to sleep before shushing Proxy. Leaning over the crib he saw the newborn throwing a substantial fit as the smell of urine wafted around him. Joshua gently picked him up and put him on the changing table before unsnapping the onesie at the legs. He opened the diaper and found it was soiled with pee. As soon as the cool air rushed against Proxy’s skin, the baby cooed.

“You’re a silly thing,” Joshua said. He wiped the baby with a soft wet wipe and powdered his bottom before putting on a fresh diaper. Snapping the onesie closed, Joshua cleaned up the mess and kept an eye on the baby as he wiggled on the changing table.

It was three o’clock. Joshua could see the glow of his phone on the charger and he sighed at the numbers reading 3:23am. He lifted Proxy up into his arms and carried him to the main room of the Pad to prepare him a bottle without waking Neku. The baby didn’t seem to mind. He was calm and happy, and he made little noises as Joshua talked to him softly.

After a bottle and a half-goodness he was a hungry monster-and a session of burping, Proxy had fallen back to sleep and Joshua carried him to the bedroom to place him back down. Neku was still half under the sheets, and the smell of sex tickled Joshua’s nose.

Oh, right. He needed a bath.

With his two loved ones dreaming, Joshua went into the bathroom to scrub sticky fluid from his stomach and chest. Neku had allowed Joshua to fill him with his need and the boy keened and cried as if he’d never felt such pleasures. He was a staunch asexual. Neku never found anything attractive outside of the artistic sense, but he’d explained post-sex that the sight of Joshua being domestic stirred something in him.

Joshua found it sweet. He had been able to tap a portion of Neku he had thought long locked away and inaccessible. The sex had been incredible, and the way Neku cried out Joshua’s name made Joshua’s heart warm. He recalled the sounds as he quickly showered off.

_“Nn…hnn…ah! J-Josh…Joshua…ah!”_

The sound of footsteps brought Joshua from his thoughts. He could hear Neku talking to the baby and soon the boy entered the bathroom with a bewildered expression.

“It’s three in the morning,” Neku stated. “Why are you showering?”

“Why not? A Composer and a Conductor are not in need of sleep. However, it does feel good after a row of sex. Might I add,” Joshua paused to scrub his feet, “you were amazing.”

“Thanks…” Neku mumbled, clearly embarrassed. “You were…ah…fucking fantastic.”

“My,” Joshua giggled, “I’ve never received such glowing praise. I’m glad you liked it. Proxy woke me up needing a change and a bottle. Did he wake you?”

“Kinda, but I could have fallen back to sleep if I wanted. I thought I’d get cleaned up, too.”

Joshua smiled. “Come over here and sit. I’ll wash you.”

“Yeah, okay.” Neku took a seat on a wooden stool in front of Joshua.

It wouldn’t be the first time Joshua washed Neku. They found the action increased their sync rate, and it was important for them to have a high number since they were Composer and Conductor. Simple actions such as living together, having sex, cleaning, cooking, etc., would increase the rate exponentially.

Joshua assumed the reason Megumi eventually failed as a Conductor was because they did not hit it off as much as Joshua wanted, and they soon fell out of rhythm.

“So, how long do you think we’ll get to keep him?” Neku asked, closing his eyes as Joshua washed his hair and scrubbed at his face and neck. He blew a bubble.

“I plan on keeping him as long as possible.” Joshua rinsed Neku’s face and hair before continuing. “Sanae might find him a good home, but I intend to stay in his life. Perhaps we could be an imaginary friend or we could tutor him in private. He sees Noise. I’m not sure if it’s a baby thing, since children are more intune to the world around us, or if he’s just…different.”

Neku rubbed at his face with a washcloth to dry it. “How’d you figure that out?”

“He’s quite intelligent behind those grey eyes. I made a little butterfly for him.”

“Did you tell Mr. H?”

“No,” Joshua sighed. “I suppose I should but…I don’t want to.”

“Sounds about right,” Neku teased. “Hey, it’ll be our secret. I thought we could do a little reading on growth and development today. I’d hate to hold him back.”

“I’m sure that won’t be a problem.” Joshua moved on to washing Neku’s chest and hips. “Neku, are you enjoying your tenure as Conductor? It’s been what…three years?”

Neku nodded. “Yeah. I was fifteen when you shot me.”

“Interesting. I hope all has been to your liking?”

“Well, yeah. If it wasn’t I’d let you know. You can be kind of an ass but you’re tolerable most days.”

Joshua laughed. He splashed Neku over the head with water. “How dare you.”

“Heh,” Neku snickered, “I thought you’d think it was funny.”

From the bedroom, Proxy squealed and gurgled happily. It was odd for him to make a sound out of nowhere and Joshua hopped up to peek into the bedroom.

“Oh, hello, Sanae.”

Sanae was wagging his fingers in front of Proxy’s face. “Heya, little guy. How ya doin’?”

Proxy burbled and stuck out his tongue. He punched his fists into the air and Hanekoma finally picked him up to rock him.

“I think he likes you,” Joshua said, leaning against the bathroom doorway. He could see Neku finishing up out of the corner of his eye and soon the Conductor joined him. After three years of being in Joshua’s employ, Neku had gotten used to being seen naked by the Producer.

“’course he likes me. I’m dad material.” Sanae made baby noises and Proxy ate it up with a kick and a arch of his back. “He’s very squirmy. I guess he gets it from you.”

Joshua giggled. “Perhaps.”

“So,” Neku rubbed his hair dry with a towel, “why’er you here?”

“I had a little free time an’ I thought I could watch ‘im for ya.”

“It would be lovely. Neku and I can get a few things done around here. There is a mountain of paperwork for next week’s Game and I need to get a few things in town. What do you say, Neku?”

“Yeah, sure.” Neku tucked the towel around his hips. “Just don’t give him coffee.”

“It ain’t gonna hurt-“

“No coffee,” he warned.

“Fine, fine. Geez. You’d think yer a daddy and Josh is a momma.”

Joshua frowned and titled his head. “I’m the father, Sanae. Neku is more of an uncle.”

“We’re both uncles,” Neku pointed out.

“Oh, right.” Joshua clapped his hands. The sound startled Proxy.

He whimpered as he stared at Joshua.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Joshua smiled and kissed his feet, “you don’t like loud sounds, do you?”

Proxy wiggled and Sanae held him close.

“He’s gonna need ta get used to noises.” Sanae bounced him in his arms. “This is Shibuya and it’s all about loud sounds and color. Maybe I’ll take ‘im out for a walk.”

“No, no,” Joshua said. “I read he’s most vulnerable in the first six months of life. I would hate for him to come down with something.”

Neku cursed. “I knew there was something we forgot. He’s gonna need vaccinations.”

“I’m not taking him.” Joshua folded his arms over his chest. He refused to be associated with something so terrible. “Sanae can do it.”

“Well, aight. I’ll do the dirty deed. I know a doctor who can squeeze ‘im in.”

Proxy grunted as if he understood what fate would befall him.

“Now be nice to Daddy Sanae,” Joshua clicked his tongue, “he’ll get you something nice if you are a good boy, Proxy.”

Neku smiled and kissed the baby’s fists. “Yeah. Be a good kid.”

“C’mon, Proxy.” Sanae laughed. “Yer momma and daddy need their rest.”

They both glared at the Producer as the baby and he disappeared. To Joshua, the room suddenly felt less vibrant, and he could see Neku felt it, too.

Instead of focusing on it, Joshua went to the closet to get dressed. He was feeling casual, and he dressed in a yellow shirt from Mus-Rattus and a pair of blue shorts from Natural Puppy. Joshua didn’t often cross companies but he really didn’t care to impress anyone today. He threw a shirt and shorts at Neku, and the Conductor pulled them on begrudgingly.

“I don’t like Sheep Heavenly,” Neku argued. He picked at the pink shirt with a sheep on the front. “Josh, this is yours.”

“Oh, don’t be difficult.”

Neku frowned, but he pulled on a pair of khaki cargo pants. His hair was matted to his face and neck, and he combed it back with his fingers. “Thanks for last night.”

“Thanks?” Joshua smoothed his hair out with a brush. “Neku Sakuraba, are you thanking me for having sexual relations with you?”

“Is that not cool? I mean, it was good so shouldn’t I say thanks?”

The Composer shrugged. “The way you said it implies I did you a favor. What I did, I did out of love for you and your friendship.”

“Love?”

The word had slipped out too easily. Joshua froze for a second.

“Josh, did you say love?”

“I did,” he whispered. His hair was a mess and his cheeks were flushed at the thought of what he’d said so casually to Neku. “I did.”

Neku turned to face him. His hands were twisting together nervously. “I…I love…I love you…?”

“Is that a question?” Joshua finally felt stable enough to return to messing with his hair and face.

“No. I,” Neku swallowed hard, “it’s difficult. I don’t know if I love you.”

“It’s alright. We have eternity to figure it out. Now,” Joshua tossed him a bottle of lip gloss, “put this on or your lips will chap. I grow tired of seeing you lick them dry.”

Neku dotted the pink gloss onto his mouth. He handed the bottle back once done and he slapped Joshua on the shoulder. “Ready when you are.”

“Almost…” He rubbed the gloss onto his lips. “Ready. Where should we go first?”

“Well, most of the shops we like to go to are closed this early. I thought we could grab our paperwork and go to an all-night diner. You know, one of those greasy spoons.”

It was one of Joshua’s guilty pleasures. He knew the food should have been disgusting and the atmosphere was almost non-existent, but he enjoyed pretending to be a world weary traveler visiting a dive bar in the middle of nowhere.

“You read my mind,” Joshua said. He kissed Neku on the cheek and wrapped his arms around him to fade from the Pad.


	4. Chapter 4

Having taken Proxy to the pediatrician for a check up and shots, Hanekoma was left with a squealing, screaming handful of fevered baby. The shot had made him wail, and the side effects were making him extremely uncomfortable. Hanekoma had given him a little bit of children’s fever reducer, but it hadn’t taken affect yet. Proxy made heartbreaking sounds and his cheeks were red and tear stained as Hanekoma tried to bounce him to silence.

“Shh, shh,” he soothed. “C’mon, kiddo.”

Proxy screamed. It wasn’t a cry or a whimper, it was a full on scream of murder. He tugged at his ears and squealed again, huffing for breath as he continued to sing.

Eventually, Joshua showed back up. He instantly dropped the bags he held and yanked Proxy from Hanekoma’s arms to hold him.

“Dear God, Sanae. He’s burning up.”

“I gave ‘im some medicine. It ain’t workin’.”

Joshua clicked his tongue and held Proxy close to him despite the tears and snot streaking the baby’s face and nose. “Shh, baby. I’ll make it stop. Shh.”

“Hooooo,” he howled as his fist rubbed at his face.

“Poor baby,” Joshua whispered. He let the energy of the RG slide off of him as he took his full form.

At the sight, Proxy immediately stopped screaming. His mouth hung open and he stared at Joshua’s glowing face as he continued to huff for breath. A moment later and his face started to crinkle as he began to cry again, his fists punching Joshua’s face.

“Now, now,” Joshua said, “calm down.”

Oddly, Proxy did. He paused, whimpered, and stared.

Joshua smiled. He kissed the baby’s face and spoke in angelic language. The baby arched and giggled as light tickled across his skin. For such a young thing, he was awfully smart and extremely in touch with his emotions.

“Heck, if ya wanted me ta use power-“

“I know you don’t like breaking rules.” Joshua cradled Proxy in his arms and rocked him back and forth until he started to fall asleep. Once the baby’s eyes closed for longer than three breaths, Joshua carried him to the box in Hanekoma’s living quarters. He settled the baby in the box and smoothed his hand down from chest to tummy. “What did they give him?”

“A shit ton of vaccines,” Hanekoma explained. “They had ta take a blood sample, too.”

“Poor dear.” Joshua brushed his hand over Proxy’s sleeping face. “Neku?”

In the back, Neku had been standing in silence. He flinched at his name being called. “Sorry, I didn’t know what to do.”

“It’s alright. Will you grab a binky for him? It will help the drainage.”

Neku nodded. He dug in a baby bag and pulled out a cute, flower shaped pacifier. Handing it to Joshua he watched as Joshua nudged it between Proxy’s lips. The baby began to suck at it in turns. Neku sighed and patted his face. “I feel sorry for him. He’s probably confused. Who the heck are these three guys and where the hell is my mommy?”

Joshua laughed. “He didn’t know his mommy. As far as he’s aware, we are three mommies. Babies don’t have a grasp of sexuality or gender. They simply see caretakers. Sanae? Have you found a home?”

“I asked the doctor to check. He’s one of my contacts.” Hanekoma leaned over the box. “He’d consulted me in architecture an’ on an ad campaign.”

“Good. I have a fear he’s changing because of the UG frequency. We have all noticed how aware he is and how he can see Noise. If he remains with us for much longer,” Joshua sighed, “he might be too tainted to live in the RG. I don’t want him to be taken away to the Higher Plane.”

Neku shook his head. “Neither do I. He’s got so much potential.”

“Yes. I can see it.”

“Yep,” Hanekoma agreed. The baby’s aura was bright white and shimmering with silver. He was intelligent enough to notice his reflection and he knew what it was. He could smile, laugh, and almost hold his head up without help. Proxy was just a few months old and he had surpassed his milestones.

The pacifier wiggled as the sound of sucking filled the space around them. Proxy’s eyes opened halfway and he turned his attention to Neku. He stared.

“Uh, what?” Neku glanced around. “Are my wings out?”

Proxy grunted as he reached out for Neku. His little fists curled and uncurled.

Smiling, Neku lifted the baby up and kissed his forehead.

“Buh,” Proxy said, pacifier falling from his mouth with a line of drool. “Buh, buh.”

Neku laughed. “Is that baby language for something?”

“Buh, buh,” he said again, as if he were talking. He put his chin on Neku’s shoulder and wiggled in his arms while making the sound over and over again. “Buh, buh! Buh.”

Hanekoma laughed, and Joshua giggled. Proxy made burbling sounds of happiness and buhs.

“Alright, alright,” Joshua said, taking Proxy from Neku, “you need a bath you sweaty thing.”

Proxy patted Joshua’s face with an open palm. “Buh.”

“Maybe,” Neku tugged on his blue shirt and wiped at the drool on it, “he’s trying to say beautiful.”

“I doubt it.” Joshua held Proxy close as he gathered up a bag of diapers and formula. “Neku, please be sure to get the other things and to pick up something to eat.”

He faded from view. Hanekoma exhaled.

“I sure hope we can find a home,” he said.

Neku shrugged. “I think he’ll find a good home. He’s a good baby. You got anything to eat? I don’t feel like going all the way to the ramen shop or Sunshine.”

“Sure thing, Boss. I’ll wrap ya up a great meal. Only 2000.”

“You’re insufferable.” Neku gathered the bags up and frowned. “I’ll come back for it in thirty.”

Hanekoma chortled. He shook his head and went to the kitchen to make some food. There were bottles on the counter and a stuffed toy of a blue bear sitting next to them. Picking it up, Hanekoma could smell the baby soft scent of powder and new life.

He set the bear back down. “Damn. I’m fallin’ fer a damn baby. Can’t get attached…”

Even as Hanekoma spoke aloud, he knew it was futile. Proxy had his baby fingers twisted in his heart and the minute they would have to give him up would hurt like hell.

\---

It took two weeks and five days since his vaccinations for Proxy to find a home.

Joshua was mixed on how to feel. He loved the baby and he wanted to keep him, but Proxy was beginning to interfere in Game business, and it also kept Neku and him from syncing as often as needed. Hanekoma had promised it was a good home and he had checked to make sure they would give Proxy all the love and care he needed. It helped that Hanekoma knew the family and could stay in contact, and that he was quite close to the mother and father for business reasons.

Yet, it was still hard for Joshua to watch Proxy sleep the night before he would be turned over. The Composer felt his heart aching at the loss of his bundle of joy, and he knew Neku was equally upset as he sat next to the crib with his sketchpad. He had been drawing Proxy in several different positions throughout the day and night. It was near two in the morning, and neither one of them had slept.

“We will still be able to watch him grow,” Joshua said, trying to sound brave. He touched Proxy’s soft cheek and ran his hand over the gentle curls of hair he’d sprouted. Proxy’s eyes had begun to go dark as well from their newborn grey. They would be a beautiful chocolate color as he grew into a child.

Neku put his pencil down for a moment. “Yeah. We can send him presents and visit here and there.”

“It won’t be the same,” he whispered. “I will miss having his energy in the room. I will hear his cries and not know what to do. Neku, why does it hurt?”

“Huh?” Neku frowned. “It hurts because you’ve got a heart, Josh. Having a heart isn’t easy.”

Joshua put a hand to his chest. “I suppose. If it weren’t for you I wouldn’t have this experience.”

“Why not?” Neku continued to draw. “It’s not like you were that much of an asshole before.”

“I was.”

It was the truth. He had hated and he had completely given up on caring for people or the city. Whatever heart he had was black and festering, but Neku’s stubborn will and ability to change gave Joshua enough hope to try again. Neku being close to him made his emotions soft, and though Joshua could still be quite the asshole, he was more tender than before.

“Josh, it’s okay.” Neku put a hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be okay.”

A single tear fell down Joshua’s cheek. It was followed by another and another, and soon he was staring at his hands as the tears dripped onto his fingers. He hadn’t cried with such pain in so long. The ache in his heart made his eyes well up with tears and he sucked in a breath.

Neku tossed his sketchpad down and embraced Joshua. “Hey, it’s okay.”

He couldn’t help but cling to Neku’s stained blue shirt. Joshua pressed his face into the crook of Neku’s shoulder and he could smell where Proxy had been drooling hours before. Weeping openly, Joshua sobbed into Neku’s neck, his mouth moving against the skin as he cried.

God, he cried like a child. Joshua hadn’t cried with such passion since he had been dead. His head hurt and his nose dripped, and his eyes burned with the fierceness of his sorrow. He wrapped tight around Neku and wailed into his shirt.

The Conductor shushed and rocked him. “It’s okay. I know it hurts. Just…just breathe. Cry it out.”

Joshua whimpered. He sniffled. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize for having emotions, Josh. It’s a good thing.” Neku pushed him away slowly. “Hey, give me a smile.”

He tried. His mouth twitched and he hiccupped back another sob. “I feel foolish.”

“Then you’re doing it right,” he said, taking one of the unused burp cloths to wipe Joshua’s face, eyes, and nose. “You’re a human being, Joshua. I like seeing you vulnerable.”

Joshua dabbed at his nose. “You do?”

“Yeah. It means you need me. I like being needed.”

“Oh, Neku,” Joshua laughed hoarsely, “I will always need you.”

Proxy woke up with a gasp. He looked around the room and caught his gaze on Joshua. “Buh?”

“I still don’t know what that means.” Joshua patted the baby’s tummy. “Buh?”

“Buh!”

Neku snickered. “Proxy?”

The baby turned his head. “Buh?”

“Buh,” Neku said. “Buh, buh?”

Proxy yawned. He rubbed at his eyes and yawned again before drowsily mumbling back to sleep.

\---

The morning came too quickly, and they had to meet the parents for breakfast at the WildKat. Joshua felt like crap and he tried to dress professionally, but he couldn’t care about clothes. He tugged on a sweatshirt for a local college and a pair of jeans. Combing his hair back he put a couple clips in it to keep the silvery fringe from his eyes.

Neku seemed to be having a similar problem. He was numbly putting on a t-shirt with a pair of ice skates on the back with a name underneath. The Conductor had recently began watching figure skating and it was-pardon the pun-a slippery slope.

“Are you ready?” Joshua asked, knowing full well they weren’t.

From the crib, Proxy gurgled and laughed. He reached up to the mobile and wiggled his fists as he tried to catch one of the planes.

“Yeah,” Neku sighed. “He looks ready. Are we gonna give them all this stuff?”

“Of course, if they want it. Proxy needs structure. I want him to remember good things.”

Neku calmly pulled the baby up and held him. “Good boy, Proxy.”

“Buh!” He punched the air. Proxy had been able to hold his head up for a few hours at a time. The baby wiggled in Neku’s arms as if excited to meet new people.

“Alright, we can do this.” Joshua smoothed his shirt out. He gathered the baby bag and his phone before disappearing.

They reappeared in the back of the WildKat. He could hear the people in the front talking. From the sound of their voices they were good people with happy personalities. Joshua closed his eyes, took a breath, and put on his best face. Both of them walked into the main dinning area and Joshua smiled as he reached a hand out to the couple.

“Good morning! I hear you’re going to be adopting our little Proxy?”

The man stood up, bowed, took Joshua’s hand, and shook it. “Nice to meet you, Joshua, is it?”

“Yes, sir.” Joshua sat down and Neku followed.

The woman gasped when she saw Proxy. “Oh, he’s so cute! May I?”

Neku handed the baby over. He looked disagreeable.

“Buh!” Proxy bounced in her arms. He was being far more active than normal. His tiny hands curled into the woman’s long hair and he yanked with all the force he could. She grunted in pain but laughed and unthreaded his fingers.

“Proxy,” Joshua warned. “What have we told you?”

The baby giggled. He reached out for the man and stole the pen tucked behind his ear to chew on. Again, the woman took his fun away and he just laughed.

“So!” Sanae clapped his hands softly. “Do ya like ‘im?”

“Yes, we do,” the woman said. “Don’t we?”

“He is certainly a handful. My wife,” he sighed, “we’ve been trying.”

Joshua waved his hand. “Not to sound callous, but perhaps it was the will of the Lord who kept you unable in order to give Proxy his best chance.”

The man nodded. “Perhaps. Why do you call him…Proxy?”

“Oh, it’s a pet name,” Neku said. “ Josh used to have me do things for him so he’d call me his Proxy. Idiot just likes the name.”

“Yes, yes. It was cute and quite fitting.” Joshua smiled politely. “Did Sanae explain to you how we found the little one?”

“Something,” the woman began, “about being abandoned?”

“Yeah,” Neku shook his head, “I found him outside wearing rags and he still had the cord.”

Both of the parents made a noise of surprise. The man touched Proxy’s head and the woman hugged him close before kissing him.

“They’ll do fine,” Joshua said under his breath. He continued to grin. “Alright. I would like to offer you his things. We have a full nursery set and plenty of diapers and formula.”

The woman gasped. “Really? You would let us have it? Oh, we haven’t been able to go shopping for anything but necessities. Anything you can give us would be very appreciated. Joshua, Neku, I want you two to keep in touch. If it weren’t for you fine gentlemen I wouldn’t have my little joy.”

Neku shifted uncomfortably. “So…what’er you gonna call him?”

“Hm,” the man tapped a finger to his chin, “we had thought something traditional. However, with his boisterous nature, I don’t think it would fit. I would like to request to keep the name Proxy as a token of our appreciation. Perhaps as a middle name?”

“I would love that,” Joshua said. He reached across the table to touch Proxy’s face. “You be a good little boy, alright?”

“Buh.”

“Aight. I’ll get the things together and have some of my guys move it in,” Sanae said. “Thanks fer adoptin’ tha little guy.”

They both rose and bowed, and the woman shouldered the baby bag as she bounced Proxy in one arm on her hip. She started to walk away, followed by her husband, but at the door she stopped.

Proxy whined. He looked at Neku and Joshua and whimpered. “Buh?”

“Go with them, Proxy,” Joshua said softly. “It’s alright.”

At first, he seemed confused. Proxy blinked, huffed, and waved his fist. “Buh-bye.”

Joshua and Neku froze. They watched as the couple and their baby disappeared down the street before exchanging glances.

“Well, now,” Sanae laughed. “I guess he was sayin’ somethin’ after all.”

\---

Proxy often wondered about his name. He wondered about his true parents and he wondered about the mysterious gifts and money he would get in the mail whenever he would want for something. It was as if the city could hear his thoughts and quiet prayers. Proxy was seven years old and his parents had never kept it from him on how he had been abandoned, rescued, and adopted. They went to see Uncle Sanae twice a month and there were times his uncle had two teenagers with him.

He was certain he knew the two boys. They were incredibly familiar and he would sometimes stare at them as if trying to recall. Joshua and Neku. Joshua…and Neku…

“Don’t stare,” his mother chided, “it isn’t nice.”

“It’s alright,” Joshua said. He ruffled Proxy’s hair. “What are you working on?”

He had brought a pad of paper and crayons to draw while his parents and the others talked about the progress Proxy was making in school. In the pad of paper he had drawn a large man with wings who he called his guardian angel, and a few random monsters he’d seen in the alleyways.

Joshua was always interested in his art. He told Proxy he would make a wonderful artist one day. “Perhaps, you will rival the great CAT.”

“Nah, I don’t think so,” Proxy said. He scribbled a few colors over the paper. “I think I’d like to be a soccer player or maybe I could figure skate. Neku likes it, don’t you?”

“Yeah. You have to practice a lot,” Neku warned, wagging his finger. “But you could do anything.”

“Mom, Dad, are Joshua and Neku the guys who rescued me?”

“Hm?” His mother looked off to the distance. “I’m not sure. I can’t actually remember who it was. You would think such an important detail would have stuck with us.”

“It was someone who knew Hanekoma,” his dad said, waving it off. “Nothing important. So! What are you two boys getting up to these days?”

Joshua smiled and winked at Proxy. He walked away, left the café, and stood on the sidewalk.

Proxy excused himself and ran outside. “What are you doing?”

“I am watching,” he said. “What do you think?”

“Huh?” Proxy gazed out over the city. “About what?”

“Butterflies. They’re quite beautiful, aren’t they?”

It was a weird statement. Proxy leaned against the wall next to Joshua and stared into the skyline as Joshua did. “Yeah, I guess.”

“If I told you a secret, would you promise to keep it at pain of death?”

He always thought Joshua was strange, but in the super fun way. “Yeah?”

The teen knelt down to whisper in his ear.

Proxy’s eyes went wide.

_Wow._


End file.
